Embossing and printing machine



Nov. 25, 1941. SCHUL AN 2,263,893

EMBOSSING AND PRINTING MACHINE Filed 001:. 23, 1939 INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED FFICE 2,263,893 EMBOSSING AND PRINTING MACHINE Louis Schulman, New York, N. Y. Application October 23, 1939, Serial No. 300,728

2 Claims. (Cl. 101 23) This invention relates to the embossing and printing arts and relates more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for producing embossed paper of the so-called trademark type, that is, ornamented paper for wrapping and other purposes wherein the trade-mark or name of the producer or distributor of a wrapped product appears in uniformly spaced areas thereon.

The application constitutes a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application Serial No. 292,914, which discloses a method and apparatus for producing ornamented paper of this general type. The apparatus described in said application included an embossing roller having a plurality of uniformly spaced areas free from embossing and a pair of printing rollers positioned adjacent thereto and adapted to print the trade-mark or other special indicia in such areas, means being provided for insuring relatively perfect register of the special indicia within such areas.

In the present invention the printing rollers are dispensed with entirely and the steel embossing roller, which may have any suitable de- Sign engraved thereon is formed, with a plurality of spaced recesses of suitable depth, which recesses may be round, square, diamond shaped or otherwise. Within each recess is secured a special printing attachment for printing the trade-mark or other special indicia. The particular dimculty involved in such an arrangement is in providing means for preventing the type plate from being crushed by the embossing rollers which, as is well known in the art, engage each other under extremely high pressure in order to secure a deep, clean embossing. In other words, if the surface of the printing plate is properly positioned relative to the surface of the steel embossing roller, in order to make a clean printing impression, such type will in all events receive too much pressure from the power or paper roller and the type will be destroyed after a relatively small number of impressions.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of a yieldable or resilient mounting for the printing type, such type lying on a plane relative to the periphery of the steel embossing roller, carrying such type and mounting therefor in the aforesaid recesses, as to be readily. inked by an inking roller and also be suificiently yieldable when passing through the embossing rollers as to make the desired impression and not be crushed.

It is common practice in the paper embossing art to ink the high spots on the embossing roller which in turn deposits the ink in the depressed portions of the paper, thus both embossing and printing the design. In accordance with the present invention, the inking roller may deposit ink on both the high spots of the embossing roller and also in type. In this manner the ink embossing and the printing of the special indicia is done in one color, thus giving the latter the appearance of embossing.

It will accordingly be apparent that a set of the printing attachments may be secured within the recesses and a run of the embossed paper made, the paper thus having a particular trademark, and at the end of the run the printing attachments may be removed and another set carrying a diflerent trade-mark being inserted for another run. It will be obvious that a single embossing roller, which is relatively expensive, may be used for any number of runs of individual trade-mark paper and that only the type need be changed and in this connection means are provided for changing the type alone or for removing the type and yieldable support therefor. Means are also provided for causing the type plate to normally lie on a plane beyond the periphery of the steel embossing roller in cases wherein ink embossing is not desired and in these instances the ink roller engages only the type and not the embossing roller.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of a pair of embossing rollers, the view showing sections through two embodiments of the present invention at spaced positions on the roller;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the embodiments in position in the embossing roller;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of retaining ring;

Fig. 4 is a section taken through embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of such embodiment; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken through a modified type supporting means, wherein the same is removable without removing the yieldable support.

A broken end elevation of a steel embossing roller 10 is illustrated in Fig. 1, such roller having a suitable design engraved thereon, the high portions of the engraving being indicated by the protuberances II. This roller is adapted to engage a modified a second roller l2, which in accordance with usual embossing practice is made from paper although in some instances it may also be made from steel.

Therollers l0 and I 2 are suitably journalled a supporting frame (not shown), and when the web of paper [4 passes between the rollers in the direction indicated by the arrow, the embgslsing rollers emboss a design thereon indicated a 5.

In accordance with the present invention, the embossing roller III has formed therein a plurality of spaced apertures I! having a slightly reduced portion l8, thus forming a seat l9 adapted to receive an annular retaining ring 20 thereon. The seat is further provided with a plurality of spaced, threaded apertures 2| adapted to receive screws 22. The seat l9 normally provides an. adequate support for the retaining ring, 20 al.- though in order to give additional support the ring may be formed with a plurality of substantially rectangular punched outv apertures 24., the material which is punched out forming legs 25 which rest upon the lower wall 26 of the reduced. aperture la, the inner surfaces of the legs, forming supports for the outer periphery of the type support during its inward and outward movement, as hereinafter described.

The ring is formed with a central aperture 28 within which is positioned the type support 30 which may be made from metal, wood or other suitable material. The special indicia which may be a trade-mark or any other desired material is indicated at 3| in Fig. 2,v such indicia being preferably formed on a rubber type block 32 which is. adhesively secured" to the support 30. By forming this type of rubber instead of' providing an engraved metallic plate, the chances of defacing such type, due to the pressure of the embossing rollers, is practically eliminated.

The type support 30 is formed with an annular flange 34', which flange is engaged by the retaining ring 20 and thus limits the outward movement of the type support. The inner surface of the support 30- is formed with a shallow central. aperture 3.6 and the inner wall 26 of' the aperture I8 is also provided with an aperture 3'! of the same diameter of, and in alignment with, aperture 36.

A coiled compression spring 39 is received at its opposite ends in such apertures 36. and 3T and urges the type supports 20 outwardly. It will be noted that the outer surface of type block 32' is on substantially the same plane asthe raised'portions ll of embossing roller l and as the latter revolves in the direction of the arrow, both. the type: 31 and the portions H are engaged by a conventional. inking roller 40. Asthe type block continues its arcuate motion, it comes in contact with paper I4 at the point of contact between the embossing rollers. l0 and I2. I he rearward, yielding movement of the typebloclr isvery slight at this point, although it is suflicient to prevent defacing or crushing of the type.

When a. given: run is completedathe: screws 22 are removed, the retaining ring thus releasing the type support and another support carrying other type inserted- The embodimentof the-inventionshown in Figs; 4' and is similar to the preferred embodiment except that the flanged type support 43 carrying the type block 44 and thespring. 45. are mounted in a recessed supporting. member 46': which can be" bodily removed from the roller 4T when it'is. desired to change thetype. In this instance, the aperture 48 is of uniform diameter throughout and is of such. size as to receive the member 46: which isdesirably formed of sheet metal; and: has a recess in the base wallito. receive. one: end

of the spring. Itis also provided with. an in.

wardly turned, narrow annular flange 50 which enclosed the flange 5| on the type support 43. At spaced points around the aperture 48 are formed recesses 53 which receive retaining plates 54 secured therein by screws 55, the inner end of such plate 54 engaging the flange 50.

In the two foregoing embodiments of the invention the type support is removed from the aperture in the embossing roller when the type is to be changed. In Fig. 6, however, the type block support is formed in two portions and 61, the inner portion 60 being formed with a dovetail recess 62 and the portion 6| having a male dovetail portion 64 on the rear surface thereof, such portion 61' also carrying the type block 66. In order. to holdv the type support 6| in proper position, the rear surface is formed with a central aperture 68' which is engaged by a detent 69 mountedin an aperture 10 in the support 60, such detent being urged by a spring H secured at its innerend by means of a screw 12. The other arrangements in Fig. 6, including the recessed supporting member 13', the spring T4, the recesses 15, plates T5 and screw 11, are similar to those shown in Figs.v 4' and 5. It will be appreciated, however,, that this two-piece support may be used in connection with the first embodiment of the invention and also that any suitable means other than the dovetail mounting may be employed. This general arrangement of the two-piece support may be even. more satisfactory in connectionwith. the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 since, when thetype is to be changed, the screws 22 are loosened slightly, thus permitting retaining ring 20. to. move outwardly to a point wherein the movable type support may he slipped off its complementary portion.

The use of ordinary machine screws to secure the. retaining. ring 20' in place is a relatively inexpensive means of accomplishing this result. In the event, however, that the type plates are to be changed. relatively often some other means may be employed. such, for instance, as forming an undercut recess. inthe aperture l1 and locking the. ring inplace by giving the same a partial turn, thus locking. it in the undercut recess. In instances, however, wherein aperture. I! is diamond shaped, square or otherwise non-circular; any other quicklocking. means may be employed.

It. will also. be apparent that many other structural modifications and changes may be made herein.- without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, it may be desirable to form the. type: support 39.- from metal and thus reduce the-thickness of the flange. 34- to the thickness of the sheet. metal which will eliminate any binding: action. in: case the embossing rollers are operatedv at a relatively high speed. Also, the device: may be: modified by providing a plurality of: springs of: smaller diameter than the single spring 391 Also; as was previously suggested, it might bezdesirable'to' apply ink only to the type and not to the embossing roller per se. In this instance;v the". structure will be modified so asto cause. the external: surface of the printing block to normally lie in a plane just beyond the periphery of the steek embossing. roller. Accordingly; theinking roller; willitouch thetype face only and notthe embossing roller.

What I. claimis? 1 Amachine ofi'theclass described for printing special indicia in. discontinuous areas on a sheet of paper or the like. and for. embossing an allover design. on: the. remaining areaof the sheet,

said machine including a pair of embossing rollers between which the sheet is fed, one of the embossing rollers having a plurality of substantially uniformly-spaced, shallow apertures therein, and means disposed within each aperture for supporting the special indicia-printing device, said device comprising a type-carrying block formed with an annular flange adjacent to its inner surface, the aperture having an enlarged portion adjacent to the outer periphery of the embossing roller, a retaining ring removably afixed to the shoulder formed by such enlarged portion and engaging the flange on the type-carrying block and limiting its outward movement, means comprising a coiled compression spring positioned between the inner wall of the aperture and the block for yieldingly urging the block outwardly, means for guiding the block in its inward and outward movement comprising a plurality of inwardly turned portions punched from the ring engaging the outer periphery of the flange, and resilient type carried by the block and normally lying outside the outer periphery of the roller, said type being convcxly curved corresponding to the outer periphery of the roller.

2. A machine of the class described for printing special indicia in discontinuous areas on a sheet of paper or the like and for embossing an allover design on the remaining area of the sheet, said machine including a pair of embossing rollers between which the sheet is fed, one of the embossing rollers having a plurality of substantially uniformly-spaced,shallow apertures therein, and means disposed within said apertures for supporting the special indicia-printing means, said latter means comprising a type support formed with an annular flange, each aperture having an enlarged portion adjacent to the outer periphery of the embossing roller, an apertured retaining ring removably afiixed to the shoulder formed by such enlarged portion and engaging the flange on the type support, said ring being formed With a plurality of punched-out portions, the material from such portions being inwardly bent, forming feet engaging the inner wall of the aperture, the inner surfaces of said portions forming guideways for the flange on the type support, a type element formed of resilient material carried by the support, the outer surface of the element being convexly curved and normally lying just outside the outer periphery of the roller, and yieldable means comprising a coiled compression spring urging the type support outwardly.

LOUIS SCHULMAN. 

